Refrigerator car door



y 1966 G. MADLAND ETAL 3,252,254

REFRIGERATOR CAR DOOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 20, 1963 INVENTORS.

GABRIEL MADLAND 8 BYTHEODORE Z. HERR AT TORN EYS y 1966 G. MADLAND ETAL 3,252,254

REFRIGERATOR CAR DOOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 20, 1965 mac n w .n mW NA Q r mm mv nw M an, m R L mm RO BE AH GT ATTORNEYS y 4, 1966 G. MADLAND ETAL 3,252,254

REFRIGERATOR CAR DOOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 20, 1963 INVENTORS. GABRIEL MADLAND 8v THEODORE Z. HERR ATTO R N EYS United States Patent 3,252,254 REFRHGERATOR CAR D9011 Gabriel Madland, Egersund, Norway, and Theodore Z.

Herr, Highland Park, Ill., assignors to Youngstown Steel Door (Iompany, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 324,963 7 Claims. (Cl. 49-210) This invention relates to doors for railroad cars and more particularly to laterally movable doors adapted for use with a refrigerator car.

The so-called flush or plug door is a commonly used type of door in the refrigerated railroad car industry. To expose the door opening, it is necessary to displace the plug door laterally away from the side of the car and then move the door along guide tracks longitudinally the length of the car. To accomplish the lateral displacement of the door, there is provided a plurality of cranks which are mounted on manually operated pipes secured to the door. Rotation of the pipes effects a corresponding rotation of the cranks causing a lateral inward or outward displacement of the door. With the door positioned in the opening, various types of latches are utilized to lock the door in place and assure the proper sealing of the door thereby to retain the insulated characteristics of the refrigerated car.

It has been the practice in the past to incorporate the latching mechanism for securing the door internally of the door itself thereby to provide a means for protecting the latch mechanism from damage from external causes. However, the presence of the latching mechanism in the hollow interior of the door has lessened to a substantial extent the insulating properties of the door.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a plug door having a latch mechanism which does not affect the insulating properties of the door.

It is a further object of this invention to provide latching means exterior of the door.

Another object of this'invention is to provide a plug door having a five-point locking mechanism mounted exterior of the door.

Other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent upon a complete reading of the following description.

The objects of this invention are accomplished by providing a track mounted plug door constructed of spaced apartmetal sheaths with the normally present vertical operating pipes secured to the exterior of the outer sheath. Framing the opening in the side of the railroad car are vertically extending reinforcing members which are adapted to cooperate with horizontally movable locking members secured to the plug door. The horizontally movable locking members are housed in structural reinforcing members secured to the exterior of the outer sheath of the door. The horizontally moving locking members and the mechanism for operating the same are incorporated in the structural reinforcement for the door in a manner such that the locking members do not protrude into the interior of the plug door but are enclosed from view.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail one approved means of carrying out the invention, such disclosed means, however, constituting but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be used.

In the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view showing the invention as it is incorporated in the railroad car door.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating an alternative embodiment.

Referring now to .the drawings and FIG. 1 which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates one side wall .of a conventional refrigerated railroad car having inner and outer walls. A door opening 11 is formed in the side wall and is adapted to be closed by a laterally movable door 12. In the closed position, the door 12 is seated in the door opening with its exterior sheath of material 13 substantially flush with the external surface of the side wall 10. The door 12 further includes an interior wall 14 which is spaced from the exterior wall 13 by a distance substantially equal to the space between the inner and outer sheaths of the wall 10 of the railroad car, thus providing :an insulating space 15 between the two sheaths of material. Seals 16 are provided at the peripheral edges of the door 12 and are adapted to engage the door post 17 when the door is closed.

To move the door. laterally out of the door opening 11 for longitudinal movement along the side wall 10 upon the tracks 18, there are provided spaced apart parallel vertical pipes 19, 20. Each of the pipes 19, 20 is rotatably Secured upon the external sheath 13 of the door 12 by appropriate brackets 21, 22, 23. Secured to the upper end of the pipes 19, 20 are cranks 24, 25 respectively. The cranks 24, 25 extend upwardly behind a retainer 26 and are provided with rollers 27 which guide the door in its longitudinal movement and retain the top of the door in the proper position relative to the car. Secured to the lower end of each of the pipes 19, 20 are cranks 28, 29 respectively, with each of the cranks being journalled in roller hangers mounted upon the track 18 thereby to facilitate the sliding movement of the door.

Attached to the pipes 19 and 20 intermediate the ends thereof are clev'ises 31, 32 respectively. Each of the clevises has pivotally secured thereto an operating handle 33, 34. It is believed apparent that upon rotation of the handles 33, 34 in a substantially horizontal plane, a corresponding rotation of the pipes 19, 20 and their respective cranks will be effected thereby causing thedoor 12 to be displaced laterally from the door opening 11. Upon reverse rotation of the handles 33, 34, the door would be replaced in the door opening 11.

Secured to the wall 10 of the railroad car on opposite sides of the door opening 11 are channel members 35, 36 which are adapted to cooperate with horizontally moving locking members 37, 38. The locking members 37, 38 are "oppositely acting and with the ends thereof adapted to project beyond the vertical edges of the door and engage appropriate keepers formed in the channel members 35, 36.

The projection of the locking members 37, 38 beyond the confines of the door 12 is controlled by a vertical actuating bar 39 which is mounted for vertical movement in a hat-shaped reinforcing member 40 secured to the exterior of the outer sheath 13 of the door 12. Vertical movement of the actuating bar is accomplished automatically by an operating mechanism, indicated generally bythe reference numeral 41, mounted on the panel 13. This operating mechanism is fully disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,975,490, granted March 21, 1961, and assigned to the present assignee, which description is incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, the operating mechanism 41 includes a bracket member 42 which is mounted on the external sheath 13 of the door 12. A double-handled lever 43 is threadedly received in the bracket member 42 and includes a follower 44 which is adapted to receive adjacent ends of the levers 33, 34. A vertical locking bolt 45 is also mounted on the external sheath 13 and is adapted to cooperate with a keeper 46 secured to the side of the railroad car. By rotation of the lever 43 and through a mechanism not fully shown herein but which is described and illustrated in the above-mentioned Patent No. 2,975,490, a vertical movement is imparted to the actuating bar 39.

Bell crank levers 47, 48 are associated with the inner terminal end of the operating rods 37, 38 respectively. The bell cranks are pivotally secured to the door mechanism with one end of each crank being secured to the actuating member 39 and the other end of the bell crank being secured to the operating levers 37, 38 respectively. v

Thus, it may be seen that as vertical movement is imparted to the actuating member 39, a corresponding pivoting movement is imparted to the bell cranks 4'7, 48

-which causes a withdrawal or extension of the locking members 37, 38 depending upon the direction of the vertical movement of the member 39. Simultaneous with the reciprocation of the actuating member 39, a corresponding vertical reciprocation is imparted to the locking member 45 by a mechanism not shown herein but which is fully disclosed in the above-mentioned patent.

Turning to the structural arrangement for mounting the locking mechanism disclosed hereinabove, the door includes a channel-shaped or hat shaped member 54 which serves as structural reinforcement for the external sheath 13 of the door and extends around the entire perimeter of the door. Appropriate slots in the channel permit reciprocation of the members 37, 38 therethrough. The brackets 21 and 23 are mounted on the channel member and appropriate recesses 55 are formed in the member 54 to accommodate the rotation of the pipes 19, 26.

Turning to FIGS. 4 and 5, there are illustrated the particular means for mounting the operating mechanism for the locking members 37, 38. Thus, there is secured to the sheath 13, by rivets 56 or other appropriate means, a pair of vertically spaced apart bracket members 57, with the bracket members serving to mount the upper and lower pairs of bell crank levers 47, 48. Interposed between the bracket 57 and the sheath 13 is a bearing plate 58 which has formed therein a rectangular slot 59 and a struck-out portion 60. The rectangular slot 59 is adapted to receive the pins 47a, 48a secured to the cranks 47, 48 respectively. Slots 61, 62 are provided in each of the bracket members 57 and plates 58 to accommodate the passage of the actuating member 39 therethrough. The bell cranks 47, 43 are pivotally mounted between one leg of the bracket 57 and the plate 58 by the pins 63. The pins 63 are journalled in apertures in the bracket and plate as shown in FIG. 3.

Providing an enclosure for the looking members 37, 38 are Z-shaped angle member-s 65 which extend across the door 12 and terminate against the reinforcing members 54. The Z-shaped members 65 include a depending leg 66 which extends downwardly to a position where it overlaps the upwardly directed leg 67 of the bracket member 57 thereby providing a complete enclosure for the locking members 37, 38 and the bell crank levers 47, 48. A slot 68 provided in the member 65 accommodates the vertical movement of the actuating bar 39. The hat- :shaped member 40 completes the enclosure of the bar 39 and protects the operator from the moving parts of the door locking mechanism.

To actuate the door mechanism, the operator rotates the lever 43 thereby withdrawing the bolt 45 from the keeper 46 and imparting a vertical downward movement to the bar 39. As the bar moves downwardly, it carries the pins 47a, 48a with it thus causing a pivoting movement of the cranks 47, 48 about the pivot pins 63. This pivoting movement S translated into horizontal movement of the locking members 37, 38 and causes the withdrawal of the members from their respective keepers in the side channels 35. With the locking members retracted, rotation of the handles 33, 34 withdraws the door from the opening. A reverse operation is used to reclose the door.

It is believed apparent that the above-described structure provides a plug door which has insulating characteristics comparable to the stationary walls of the railroad car. Thus, rather than having a point of high thermal conductivity at the door openings, a more uniform distribution of the insulating properties is obtained thus providing a more commercially attractive car. Further,

the particular mounting of the door locking mechanism is such that it is protected from external forces but it is capable of being replaced or repaired without removing the door from the side of the car.

An alternative embodiment having enhanced assembly and disassembly characteristics is illustrated in FIG. 6. The alternative embodiment of FIG. 6 is in all major aspects the same as the above-described embodiment with the exception that the bracket member for supporting the pin 63 is of a modified character. Thus, as opposed to the riveted construction shown in FIG. 5, a bracket 70 is secured by bolts 71 to the depending leg 65 of the Z-shaped member 66. The bracket continues to function as a support for the pin 63 but the ease of assembly and disassemibly is greatly facilitated by the provision of the bracket being removably mounted by bolts 71.

For ease of description, the principles of the invention have been set forth in connection with but a few illustrated embodiments. It is not our intention that the illustrated embodiments or the terminology employed in describing them be limiting inasmuch as variations in these may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, but rather, it is our desire to be restricted only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A laterally movable door adapted to be received in the opening formed in the wall of a railroad car comprising:

a pair of spaced apart inner and outer sheaths of material defining an insulating space therebetween, with the inner and outer sheaths adapted to be in substantially fiush relationship with the inner and outer walls respectively of the railroad car when the door is in closed position;

hat-shaped reinforcing members secured to the exterior of the outer sheath along the vertical edges thereof;

means secured to the exterior of said outer sheath defining a vertical channel;

a vertically movable bar disposed in the channel;

a plurality of horizontally movable locking members mounted on the exterior of said outer sheath;

a plurality of bell cranks pivotally mounted on the exterior of said outer sheath and interconnecting said vertically movable bar and said locking members;

said mounting for each of said bell cranks including:

a bearing plate secured to the exterior of said outer sheath;

a bracket member secured to said outer sheath, with at least one leg of said bracket being spaced from said bearing plate;

pin means journalled in apertures in said one leg and said bearing plate, with said bell crank being journalled on said pin means; and

slot means in said reinforcing member receiving said locking members whereby vertical reciprocation of said bar imparts a horizontal reciprocation to said locking members through said reinforcing members.

2. The structure of claim 1 further including a housing member secured to the exterior of said outer sheath and enclosing each of said horizontally movable members;

said housing member including an opening therein permitting reciprocation of said bar therethrough.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said housing member further includes a depending leg portion spaced from said outer sheath and overlapping said one leg of said bracket thereby enclosing said bell crank.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said bracket is removably carried by said housing member.

5. In a railroad car, a laterally movable door adapted to be received in the opening formed in a wall of the railroad car comprising:

a pair of spaced apart inner and outer sheaths of material defining an insulating space therebetween, with the inner and outer sheaths adapted to be in substantially flush relationship with the inner and outer Walls respectively of the railroad car when the door is in closed position;

a vertically movable member,

means mounting said member on the exterior of said outer sheath;

a plurality of horizontally movable locking members mounted on the exterior of said outer sheath;

bell crank means interconnecting said vertically movable member and said locking members whereby vertical reciprocation of said vertically movable member imparts a horizontal reciprocation to said locking members;

a bearing plate secured to the exterior of said outer sheath;

6 a bracket member secured to said outer sheath with at least a portion thereof being spaced from said bearing plate; pin means journalled in apertures in said portion and said bearing plate with said bell crank means being pivotally journalled on said pin means.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said door further includes hat shaped reinforcing members secured to the exterior of the outer sheath of said door and along the vertical edges thereof;

slots formed in said reinforcing members;

said locking members being received in and passing through the slots in said reinforcing members.

7. The door of claim 5 and further including housing means secured to the exterior of said outer sheath and enclosing said movable locking members.

HARRISON R. MOS-ELEY, Primary Exmainer. A. I. BREIER, Assistant Examiner. 

5. IN A RAILROAD CAR, A LATERALLY MOVABLE DOOR ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED IN THE OPENING FORMED IN A WALL OF THE RAILROAD CAR COMPRISING: A PAIR OF SPACED APART INNER AND OUTER SHEATHS OF MATERIAL DEFINING AN INSULATING SPACE THEREBETWEEN, WITH THE INNER AND OUTER SHEATHS ADAPTED TO BE IN SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INNER AND OUTER WALLS RESEPCTIVELY OF THE RAILROAD CAR WHEN THE DOOR IS IN CLOSED POSITION; A VERTICALLY MOVABLE MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING SAID MEMBER ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID OUTER SHEATH; A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTALLY MOVABLE LOCKING MEMBERS MOUNTED ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID OUTER SHEATH; BELL CRANK MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID VERTICALLY MOVABLE MEMBER AND SAID LOCKING MEMBERS WHEREBY VERTICAL RECIPROCATION OF SAID VERTICALLY MOVABLE MEMBER IMPARTS A HORIZONTAL RECIPROCATION TO SAID LOCKING MEMBERS; A BEARING PLATE SECURED TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID OUTER SHEATH; A BRACKET MEMBER SECURED TO SAID OUTER SHEATH WITH AT LEAST A PORTION THEREOF BEING SPACED FROM SAID BEARING PLATE; PIN MEANS JOURNALLED IN APERTURES IN SAID PORTION AND SAID BEARING PLATE WITH SAID BELL CRANK MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY JOURNALLED ON SAID PIN MEANS. 